The Torpedo Room — the name is inspired by the brewery’s dry-hopping device, the Hop Torpedo — is slated to open next month.

It won’t be a big place, and, other than light snacks, food is not part of the plan. Instead, the idea is to host about 45 craft beer drinkers for “educational tastings.” The Torpedo Room will feature 16 taps, and draught beer will be served in taster flights. Guests will also be able to fill growlers to go, as well as buying six-packs, cases and individual specialty bottles.

A rendering of the soon-to-open Torpedo Room, a small beer tasting room operated by Sierra Nevada. Image: Sierra Nevada

The Chico-based company is opening the tasting room in a 1,700 sq ft space in the Read Building at 2031 Fourth St., just south of University Ave. Berkeley’s Trachtenberg Architects are designing the space, working in collaboration with Richmond-based Ferrous Studios and Westgate Hardwoods.

“Our brewers develop creative, flavorful beers at an impressive pace,” said Ken Grossman, Sierra Nevada’s founder. “They’re usually small batches, and it’s those beers folks will find in the Torpedo Room. We think it’s exciting — using rare offerings to showcase who we are and to talk about the science behind our beers. We really hope visitors take part in the dialogue.”

Speaking about why the beer company chose West Berkeley, Grossman said: “West Berkeley fosters a great, progressive culture and that includes a lot of ambitious food and drink. We’re eager to be part of the Bay Area craft scene while still staying close to our home base in Chico.”

The Torpedo Room is part of an explosion of new beer spots in the East Bay, and in Berkeley in particular. Earlier this year, Berkeleyside Nosh reported on a sour beer brewery, The Rare Barrel, on Carleton St.; a nano-brewpub on Alcatraz Avenue; new mead manufactory The Mead Kitchen; and a German-style biergarten planned on Gilman Street, also in West Berkeley. The latter is hoping to open before too long, according to Dietmar Lorenz from DSA Architects who are working on the build-out. “We’re in the last rounds with the building department, hopefully,” he said, “so we may see construction going on in October, but completion in November at the earliest,” he said.